{"id":2396,"date":"2017-12-21T11:57:11","date_gmt":"2017-12-21T16:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mansfieldu.wpengine.com\/?p=2396"},"modified":"2018-01-18T09:12:30","modified_gmt":"2018-01-18T14:12:30","slug":"mansfield-professor-and-students-conduct-research-in-the-battle-against-pancreatic-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/?p=2396","title":{"rendered":"Mansfield Professor and Students Conduct Research in the Battle against Pancreatic Cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"

MANSFIELD, PA\u2014 <\/strong>Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. and has the lowest five-year survival rate of any major cancer. A Mansfield University Biology Professor and three of her students this semester, and six total in a year and a half, are at the forefront of research, in collaboration with the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, which they hope will one day lead to an effective treatment and eventually a cure of the disease.\"(L-R)Assistant Professor Kristen Long and Biology majors Sarah Cale, Arthur Collier, and Adrianna Vaskas have focused their research this fall on understanding the biology of the fibrotic tumor stroma and proliferation signals in pancreatic cancer, a rapidly progressing, incurable disease that has demonstrated unusual resistance to standard therapies including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current understanding is that the dense tumor stroma fosters tumor cell growth and survival by creating an immunosuppressive microenvironment, and it protects tumor cells by acting as a barrier to therapeutic drug delivery,\u201d Long said. \u201cUnderstanding the relationship between the fibrotic tumor stroma, tumor cell growth, and the inhibition of drug delivery is essential for the development of novel treatment therapies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSpecifically, we\u2019re seeking to understand what controls tumor fibrosis deposition and accumulation, the relationship between fibrosis and tumor phenotype and proliferation, and the importance of fibrosis in resistance to therapies,\u201d Long added. \u201cWe are working to address these questions though the use of novel, murine pancreas tumor cell lines, previously derived in the laboratory of Dr. Gregory Beatty at the University of Pennsylvania,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been incredible to work on cancer research that \"Sarahcould impact so many others,\u201d Cale, a native of Hughesville, PA, said. \u201cTo be able to take these genes and modify them, or splice the genomes to stop the metastasis of cancer, it is just incredible to be a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Long has been able to offer this rare opportunity to her Mansfield students through her connection to the University of Pennsylvania, where she completed a post-doctoral fellowship and was involved in similar research after earning her PhD from Drexel University.<\/p>\n

\u201cI first came to Mansfield with dreams of at least getting an MD in the future but as I\u2019ve progressed through this, met Dr. Long and took courses with her, I realized the potential I had was a lot greater than I thought I did have,\u201d Collier said of becoming involved in this project.<\/p>\n

The senior from Duncannon, PA has just learned that he will be published in an article co-authored by Drs. Long and Beatty in an upcoming issue of the journal Molecular Immunology<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has helped me grow as a student and it has also helped to guide me in a direction I want to go in terms of my postgraduate education and what sorts of fields I want to get into as I continue my education,\u201d he said. \u201cI plan on doing an MD\/PhD program, getting more into the\"Arthur research aspect of medicine, specifically cancer research or immunology. Those are the fields I\u2019m more interested in since working with Dr. Long.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vaskas, a junior from Wyalusing, PA, echoed Collier\u2019s feelings.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Long\u2019s passion for cancer research and immunology really jump started my passion for it,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m looking into an MD\/PhD program after graduation, so that I can do medical based research. I didn\u2019t see that as a possibility when I came to Mansfield, but Dr. Long definitely opened those doors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The next step for Cale, who graduated on December 16, is graduate school to become a physician\u2019s assistant.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never would have imagined that I\u2019ve get to do this kind of research,\u201d she said. \u201cTo be able to say that I\u2019m a published researcher together with Dr. Long is helping me with my application to physician\u2019s assistant school.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Long, working with her students and seeing them develop the passion that has driven her professional life and carry that on as they leave MU has been a tremendous her reward.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe highlight of my day is sharing my excitement for the biomedical sciences with students in the laboratory setting,\u201d Long said. \u201cIt\u2019s one thing to discuss ideas and concepts in class, but it\u2019s another to help students develop their own hypotheses based on their observations and determine appropriate methods to address each question. From working in the laboratory, the growth and maturity I have seen in students, as individuals and scientists, has been remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Long\u2019s drive to continue her efforts and involve more students in research will hopefully one day help conquer pancreatic cancer.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, the ability to foster student growth and share in their excitement of biomedical science is what drives me and is the most fulfilling aspect of my job,\u201d she said. \u201cI am more than grateful that Mansfield provides this unique opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about studying Biology at Mansfield, go to mansfield.edu\/biology\/<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MANSFIELD, PA\u2014 Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. and has the lowest five-year … Continue reading >Mansfield Professor and Students Conduct Research in the Battle against Pancreatic Cancer<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2453,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[590,589,7,587,586,591,588,592,553],"class_list":["post-2396","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-adrianna-vaskas","tag-arthur-collier","tag-biology","tag-kristen-long","tag-pancreatic-cancer-research","tag-perelman-school-of-medicine","tag-sarah-cale","tag-university-of-pennsylvania","tag-web"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/bio1.jpg?fit=750%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6V0yH-CE","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3355,"url":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/?p=3355","url_meta":{"origin":2396,"position":0},"title":"Mansfield University biology student and professor present research at national cancer conference","author":"rmcnamara","date":"November 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Adrianna Vaskas '19 presenting research on pancreatic cancer. BOSTON, Mass. \u2013 Dr. Kristen Long, Assistant Professor of Biology, and Adrianna Vaskas, a May 2019 Cell and Molecular Biology graduate, presented research on pancreatic cancer at the 2019 American Association of Cancer Research\u2019s Pancreatic Cancer: Advances in Science and Clinical Care\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Department of Biology\"","block_context":{"text":"Department of Biology","link":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/?tag=department-of-biology"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Adrianna-AACR-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C982&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Adrianna-AACR-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C982&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Adrianna-AACR-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C982&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Adrianna-AACR-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C982&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Adrianna-AACR-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C982&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3670,"url":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/?p=3670","url_meta":{"origin":2396,"position":1},"title":"Mansfield University\u2019s Research and Collaboration with American Cancer Society featured in Homecoming Showcase","author":"rmcnamara","date":"October 28, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Mansfield University assistant professor of biology Dr. Kristen Long MANSFIELD \u2013 Mansfield University\u2019s research and collaboration with the American Cancer Society was featured in a showcase as part of MU\u2019s virtual Homecoming 2020. The Showcase was developed by Director of Alumni Affairs & Advancement, Casey Wood '02, and led by\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Long-HD.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Long-HD.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Long-HD.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Long-HD.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Long-HD.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3613,"url":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/?p=3613","url_meta":{"origin":2396,"position":2},"title":"Caitlin Beauduy \u201821 earns NASA-funded research scholarship for work on pancreatic cancer","author":"rmcnamara","date":"August 12, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"MANSFIELD \u2013 Caitlin Beauduy, a senior cell and molecular biology student at Mansfield University, received a $4,000 research scholarship from the NASA Pennsylvania State Grant Consortium for her proposal on pancreatic cancer. The funding supports Beauduy\u2019s continued investigation into the effect of T cells on solid pancreas tumors. \u201cWith the\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/MU-headshot-Beauduy1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/MU-headshot-Beauduy1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/MU-headshot-Beauduy1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/MU-headshot-Beauduy1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/MU-headshot-Beauduy1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3260,"url":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/?p=3260","url_meta":{"origin":2396,"position":3},"title":"Mansfield University Biology Students Earn NASA Research Scholarships","author":"John Maslar","date":"September 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"MANSFIELD, PA - Two Mansfield University Cell and Molecular Biology majors, working in the laboratory of Dr. Kristen Long, have been granted scholarships to pursue cancer research. Adrianna Vaskas, a May 2019 graduate from Wyalusing, PA, and Catherine Troutman, a senior from Klingerstown, PA, each earned a $4,000 scholarship from\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/nasa.jpg?fit=1200%2C465&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/nasa.jpg?fit=1200%2C465&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/nasa.jpg?fit=1200%2C465&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/nasa.jpg?fit=1200%2C465&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/nasa.jpg?fit=1200%2C465&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2917,"url":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/?p=2917","url_meta":{"origin":2396,"position":4},"title":"Mansfield Biology Students Present at Regional Research Conference","author":"John Maslar","date":"October 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"MANSFIELD, PA\u00a0-\u00a0Three Mansfield University biology students attended and presented at the 21st\u00a0Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Chemical and Biological Sciences held at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) on Saturday, October 20th. Adrianna Vaskas (senior from Wyalusing, PA, Cell and Molecular Biology), Tyler Walters (senior from Danville, PA,\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/mu-bio-students-10-24-18.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/mu-bio-students-10-24-18.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/mu-bio-students-10-24-18.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/mu-bio-students-10-24-18.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/mu-bio-students-10-24-18.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3627,"url":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/?p=3627","url_meta":{"origin":2396,"position":5},"title":"NASA-funded research scholarship awarded to Brittney Atkins \u201821 for work on pancreatic cancer","author":"rmcnamara","date":"September 2, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"MANSFIELD \u2013 Brittney Atkins, a Cell and Molecular Biology senior from Hamburg, Pa., was the recipient of a $4,000 research scholarship from the NASA Pennsylvania State Grant Consortium. The funding allows Atkins to continue advancing research on pancreatic cancer. Atkins\u2019 proposal seeks to evaluate tumor cell resistance to a new\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MU-headshot-Atkins.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MU-headshot-Atkins.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MU-headshot-Atkins.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MU-headshot-Atkins.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/munews.mansfield.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MU-headshot-Atkins.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2396","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2396"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2396\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/munews.mansfield.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}